No state borders for area wildlife

When upland sandpipers or grasshopper sparrows are looking for a grassy place to light, it matters little whether they land in Massachusetts or Connecticut. They just need a habitat that allows them to thrive.

A perfect spot for the migratory birds and other species happens to be on the site of a former tobacco farm - a 450-acre tract of land that straddles the two states in the contiguous towns of Southwick and Suffield.

So, on behalf of the eastern meadowlarks and savannah sparrows, we applaud Govs. Deval L. Patrick of Massachusetts and M. Jodi Rell of Connecticut for seeing past their state boundaries.

Patrick and Rell recently signed a cross-border agreement to purchase and manage the Connecticut River Valley tract - about 254 acres in Southwick and 196 acres in Suffield - as a preserve for a variety of birds, mammals, reptiles and invertebrate species.

The pact couldn't have worked without the help of the Conservation Fund, a national organization dedicated to preserving land and protecting natural resources. The fund facilitated the $4.4 million purchase, working with the two states and former property owner Swedish Match Co. - the successor to Culbro Tobacco and General Cigar.

The two-state Wildlife Management Area comprises mostly meadow and is considered an ideal habitat for endangered birds. The states will begin enhancing habitat on the property to attract birds that are expected to increase in number in both states as a result of the new protected area.

The two-state effort will benefit the environment and improve the region's quality of life. There are tremendous development pressures along the Connecticut River corridor and the quality of life of humans is enhanced when natural habitats are preserved.

Again, we applaud Patrick and Rell and we hope this partnership will extend to other cooperative ventures - including economic development.